Automatic mail-pouch-locking appliance.



APPLICATION FILED IULY 3. I9.

WITNESSES Patented Nov. 30, 1915.

'55 as [LI TATES PATENT OFFICE.

Cfi'ETER L; wnieiir, Mason L. smannezvn CALVIN 1a., HOPPER, or SUMNER,

MISSOURI. j

AUTOMATIC MAIL-POUCH-LOCKING APPLIANCE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 30, 1915.

Application filed July 3, 1914. Serial No. 848,834.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that-we,'C1-1Es'rER L. \VRIGHT,

which -is an intricate process causing a waste a of time and energy, trouble that is obviated in this invention.

One of the objects of this invention is to give a device that is automatic in its operation of locking. the mailpouch as well as being easy of manipulation. Another object of this invention is to give a device that is a strong, durable and easy to manufacture, having comparatively few parts. 1

Similar reference characters refer-to similar parts throughout the specification and drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a sectional view of the device in locked position. Fig. 2 a sectional view of the device in unlocked position. Fig. 3 a face view of the interior key late. Fig. 4 a detail of one of the checking tumblers. Fig. 5 a view of a preferred form of key.

1 is the late forming one wall of the lock having a s t 2 suitable for the insertion of a staple or link 3 connected to avmail pouch or other suitable object. A locking bolt 4 having a right angle portionis pivotally mounted upon the lug 6, said bolt having a suitable eye 7 for this purpose. The rear edge 8 of the locking bolt has a suitable notch or recess 9 in which is seated a locking tumbler or latch 10. 1 This latch 10 is pivotall mountedupon the lug 11 having a suitabl e eye 12 for this purpose. A second tumbler 13 is pivotally mounted upon the lug said tumbler having a suitable eye 15 for this purpose and operates to lock the locking bolt 4 by means of a hook member'15' which engages a suitable shoulder or projection 16 extending from one end of the locking bolt 4. At the opposite side of the tumbler 13 is a second projection 17 which operates against the surface 18 to throw the locking bolt into unlocked position upon the operation of the device. A spring 19 retains the tumblers into operative position against the locking bolt, the portion 20 lying against the tumbler 10 and the portion 21 lying against the tumbler 13 for this purpose.

The locking bolt 4 when in locked position abuts against the lug 22 and prevents said locking boltfrom playing too far. A lever or trip 23 is pivotally mounted upon the lug 2 1 by means of a suitable eye 25 in said trip and is normally retained in a lowered position by a spring 26 which is mounted on the member 27 and abuts against the surface 28 of the trip 23. A projection 29 retains the spring from slipping off the trip while a projection 30 retains the spring from slipping off the member 27, this member 27 being mounted to the plate 1 by means of a bolt or rivet 31. A projection 32 depends from the middle portion of the trip in such manner as to hit the lug or stay 22.thereby preventing the trip from loweringtoofar under the pressure of the spring as is plainly indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawing. The inner faces 33 and 34 of the tumblers 10 and 13 respectively are spaced a predetermined distance apart, said surfaces 33 and 3% being operated upon by the prongs of the key 35. A multiplicity of tumblers 36 are mounted upon the lug 14 by means of suitable eyes 37, each of these tumblers having a hook portion 38 adapted to operate against the shoulder 16 of the locking bolt. The surfaces 39 of each of the tumblers 36 are placed at a different or predetermined position within reach of pron s 40 of the key 35, these prongs being 0 a different length than of the rong 41 which operates the tumblers 10 an 13. These tumblers 36 are for the purpose of acting as a check or look against the locking bolt 4 in case of unlawful attempt to operate the lock by means of a key not suited for this purpose.

A key plate 42 is mounted upon the lugs '11 and 14 by means of suitable eyes 43 and 44 and has in the center thereof a slot key hole 45 to allow the insertion of the key to reach the tumblers. If it is desired the auxiliary tumblers 36 and the plate 42 can be dispensed with and any make of key suitable for pressing apart the tumblers and 13 can be used.

In operation a key having suitable prongs is inserted through the key hole until the end 46 abuts against its seat 47 and then is given a 90 turn. In turning it the tumblers 36 are first operated upon because their surfaces 39 are nearer than the surfaces 33 and 34 of the tumblers 10 and 13, these tumblers 36 being thereby thrown out of engagement with the locking bolt. Next the tumblers 10 and 13 are spread, this action releasing the locking bolt of the tumbler 10 at 9 and the hook 15 at 16 and the locking bolt is thrown by means of the hook 17 coming in contact with the surface 18, thereby throwing the tumbler look over into the position as shown in Fig. 2. This action allows the staple 3 to be withdrawn, thereby causing the trip 23 to drop as far as it is allowed to go which action causes the surface 48 to come in contact with the surface 50 of the locking bolt thereby retaining it in unlocked position until another staple isinserted which throws back the trip 23 and. allows the locking bolt audits operating members to respond into locked osition, the trip 23 having a rounded sur ace- 49 to facilitate this 0 eration.

Alt ough we have described the preferred embodiment of our invention, we reserve and may exercise the right to make such changes in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts thereof as do not depart. from the spirit of the invention and the sage of the appended claims.

aving thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent of the United States is:

1. An automatic lock comprising a pivoted locking bolt having a notch in one edge thereof, an angular extension at its upper end, aprojection at its opposite end, a spring pressed locking tumbler adapted to engage said notch and hold the bolt in locked position, a plurality of tumblers, each having a hook adapted to engage and interlock with the projection of the locking bolt, a projection on one of said latter tum- Copies of this patent may be obtained (or five blers adaptedto engage the face of the locking bolt to move the locking bolt to open position, and ai trip having an extension adapted to 'move in the path of the angular end of the locking bolt to hold the locking bolt in unlocked position.

2. An automatic lock comprising pivoted tumblers, a pivot locking bolt retained in a locking position by said pivoted tumblers, a pivoted trip having a check extension thereto, and means to check undue play of said locking bolt and said trip.

3. An automatic lock comprising a locking bolt having an angular extension at one end, and a notch in one edge thereof, a pivoted locking tumbler adapted to engage said notch and hold the bolt in locked position, a plurality of tumblers having hooks thereon adapted to engage parts of the locking bolt and interlock therewith, one of said latter tumblers having a projection adapted to engage the locking bolt and move the same to unlocked position, a pivoted trip having an extension at one end ada )ted to move into the path of the locking bolt and hold the same in unlocked position, means to limit the travel of said trip, and a spring adapted to direct pressure against -'one end of the trip to move the opposite end thereof into the path of the locking bolt.

4. An automatic lock comprising a pivotally mounted locking bolt, a ivotally mounted trip abutting against said locking bolt and normally retaining the same in unlocked position, a pivoted tumbler one end of which is normally seated against said locking bolt to retain the same in locked position, a second pivoted tumbler operating to throw the locking bolt, and means to release said locking bolt to allow it to move to locking position.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHESTER L. \VRIGHT. MASON L. SMART. CALVIN M. HOPPER.

\Vitnesses:

D. '1. SMART, J. A. DUNNIGAN.

cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. G. 

